Bernard J. Durkan
Question:245 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of extra consultants by discipline required in the health service in the next five years [15071/01]
Written Answers. - Hospital Consultants.
I am establishing a national task force with dedicated staff, which will report directly to me, whose functions will include (a) the implementation and monitoring of the EU Directive on the 48 hour working week and (b) establishing the implications of the report of the Forum on Medical Manpower. It will be necessary to carry out an assessment of these reports to gauge the requirements and quantify the necessary resources, including staff. To assess the implications of the recommendations of the report of the forum, it will be necessary to quantify the effect the changes are likely to have on the improvement of services, to examine the workforce changes needed and to assess the costs involved in a representative number of hospitals. The examination of the medical manpower forum report will have particular regard to the likely benefits to patients, continuity of care, work patterns-clinical responsibility and professional development in a system which is less dependent on doctors in training and more on the changed work practice of an increased number of consultants. It is my intention that the main focus should be placed on introducing the necessary changes within those specialties where most of the public hospital workload arises, such as accident and emergency, general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics and the necessary support services.